The present invention relates generally to wireless networks, and more specifically to wireless networks including one or more portable data terminals.
In many industries portable data terminals are used to gather data from remote locations and relay such data to a central computing device. Usually the applications for such devices are for tracking the location and quantity of goods as they are moved throughout a manufacturing, distribution, warehouse, or retail facility, for example. Typical devices used in such applications include portable data terminals or portable pen computing devices. In a batch data collection application, an operator will take a terminal into the facility and input data at various remote locations. The data may be hand input via a keypad or it may be electronically input through a barcode reader. When the operator has completed all of the data collection tasks, the operator transports the terminal to a docking station where, once connected, data is uploaded from the terminal a host computer.
In a wireless network, or RF data collection network, each portable data terminal includes an RF transceiver which transmits data to the host computing device within a very short period of time after the data is input into the terminal. If the data collection area is small, the RF transceiver may communicate directly with a corresponding RF transceiver at the host computer. If the facility is larger, the portable terminal transceiver may communicate with one of a plurality of access point transceivers geographically spaced throughout the facility. The access points in turn communicates with the host computer through a hardwired network such as Token Ring or Ethernet.
A problem associated with such data collection systems is that there is not a convenient system for voice communication among each person operating a data collection terminal and/or central managers. While it has been possible in the past to communicate data information to another terminal or host computer via a keypad, barcode reader, or the like, it is desirable to provide for voice communication as well. For example, a person operating a terminal at one location in a facility may want to engage in conversation and/or leave a voice mail message with another person operating a terminal at a different location.
Cellular telephones have been available which provide for wireless voice communications. However, such technology requires its own dedicated communications network. Hence, it would be expensive and perhaps cost prohibitive to simply add a cellular telephone to a data collection terminal to permit voice communications through the terminal. This would require separate RF transceivers, access to commercial cellular service providers, etc., each of which would significantly add to the cost of owning and operating such a terminal.
Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art for a portable data collection network which includes portable data terminals which provide for voice communication. In particular, there is a strong need for a network in which the terminals do not require a separate RF transceiver or access to commercial cellular service providers. There is a strong need for a network which permits voice communication over the same network links utilized for data communications.
A wireless network includes a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone. A plurality of portable data terminals wirelessly communicate with the backbone via a selected one of the plurality of access points. At least one of the plurality of portable data terminals is configured to be able to transmit and receive both data and voice communication.
In order to effectuate the exchange of voice communications between two portable data terminals or between a portable data terminal and a traditional telephone coupled to a PBX, a pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway is provided on the backbone. All audio communication transmitted and received by the portable data terminal is routed through the gateway. Advantageously, the gateway is able to enhance audio communication speeds over the backbone by serving as a dedicated audio communication routing device. Further, the gateway serves to keep track of all portable devices currently engaged in an active telephonic session with another device in order to ensure that these telephonic sessions are not disrupted by requests from other devices to enter a new telephonic session. It will also be appreciated, that by use of pseudo full duplex audio communication via the gateway, each mobile terminal currently in a telephonic session may concurrently transmit and/or receive data from a host computer or other network device.
According to one aspect of the invention, a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone is provided. The wireless network includes a plurality of portable data terminals. The portable data terminals each include a processor; at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data; an audio communication circuit coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format; and an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points. The wireless network further includes a host computer coupled to the backbone and receiving at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable data terminals; and a gateway coupled to the backbone and receiving at least a portion of the audio communication. The gateway further serves to establishing a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between the plurality of portable data terminals.
According to a more limited aspect of the present invention, the gateway further includes a PBX interface for interfacing a portable data terminal with a traditional telephone device communicating via a PBX.
According to another aspect of the invention, a portable data terminal is provided for use in a wireless network. The wireless network includes a backbone, a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, a host computer coupled to the backbone for communicating data with the portable data terminal via a selected one of the plurality of access points, and a pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway coupled to the backbone for communicating audio communication with the portable data terminal via a selected one of the plurality of access points. The portable data terminal includes a keypad providing for entry of a destination code representative of a destination device with which the portable data terminal desires to establish a pseudo full duplex audio communication link via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and for providing entry of data for processing by the host computer; a processor coupled to the keypad, the processor operative to distinguish between keypad entries representative of the destination code for transmission to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and keypad entries representative of the data for transmission to the host computer; and an RF transceiver wirelessly communicating the data to the host computer and the destination code to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway in accordance with instructions from the processor.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for a wireless communication network including a backbone, a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, a pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway coupled to the backbone, and a first and second portable data terminal communicating with a host computer coupled to the backbone via a selected one of the plurality of access points. The method includes the steps of establishing an active telephonic session between the first and second terminals via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway, and transmitting data from at least one of the first and second terminals to host computer during the active telephonic session.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.